If you find that your use of mood-altering substances, whether legal or illegal, is having a negative impact on your happiness, your ability to work and your relationships with friends and family, you may have a substance-abuse problem.  > 

This short article explains the role of probation officers in the criminal justice system.  > 

The provincial Department of Social Development, along with non-profit organisations, runs a number of diversion programmes for children who have run foul of the law.  > 

Youths at risk are learners who have problems such as drug and/or alcohol abuse or are in trouble with the law. Their emotional and/or behavioural problems are barriers to their learning and development.  > 

The Chrysalis Academy offers a social crime prevention and upliftment programme targeting "youth at risk". Its aim is to empower young people to take control of their lives and give them the tools to become economically productive and be positive change agents within ...  > 

There are numerous organisations in South Africa working with Youth around a vast variety of topics. These organisations include non-profit organisations, faith-based organisations, government sponsored initiatives and community-based initiatives. To find out what organisations are active in your area, you can search the following online ...  > 

Who classifies as a child? What are the rights of children who are arrested? What can a parent/guardian do to help a child who has been arrested? What can I do if my child is being treated inappropriately? Where can I find out more about ...  > 

This Bill proposes a new criminal justice process for children accused of committing crimes. It aims to protect the rights of these children. The proposed law deals with the detention of children and their release from detention and provides for ways of diverting these cases away from the formal courts. There are also provisions on sentencing and legal representation. The Bill aims to ensure that children in conflict with the law can be reintegrated into society.  > 

This site contains information on the Child Justice Bill. It includes documents, information on events and programmes and frequently asked questions.  > 

Concerns about the effectiveness of traditional criminal justice systems have given rise to new approaches to criminal justice. One such approach is Restorative Justice, a theory that focuses on reconciling and reintegrating offenders into society rather than on retribution. This theory and its practical applications are explained briefly in this short article.  > 

The Western Cape Child Justice Forum is a unique entity that exists to monitor the numbers of children awaiting trial in the province and develop and promote alternative methods of dealing with young offenders. Details on the forum are provided in this short descriptive article.  > 

Family Group Conferences are one of the many restorative justice mechanisms used to reintegrate young offenders into society. This short article explains in more detail what family group conferences are and how they work.  > 

Young people who have been accused of a crime are often diverted out of the official criminal justice system, with or without special conditions, and into programmes aimed at developing life skills as an alternative to spending time in prison.  > 

This note describes NICRO, the main provider of diversion services.  >